


Between Rocks and Hard Places

by thesometimeswarrior



Category: Avatar: The Last Airbender
Genre: Angst, Canon Compliant, Episode: s01e02 The Avatar Returns, Ficlet, Gen, Introspection, Uncle-Nephew Relationship, War
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-07-19
Updated: 2017-07-19
Packaged: 2018-12-04 09:00:38
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 771
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11551902
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/thesometimeswarrior/pseuds/thesometimeswarrior
Summary: He sits on the side of his bed, buries his face in his hands. The Avatar is a child.Iroh, after he sees the Avatar for the first time.





	Between Rocks and Hard Places

**Author's Note:**

> This piece was partially inspired by some thinking I'd done in another piece of mine _But it is the Youth That Must Fight and Die_ and partially inspired by some frustrations I've had with how Iroh is written in the earlier episodes of A:tLA. From an out-of-universe perspective, I get that Bryke changed their minds about what sort of character was as they wrote more of the series, that initially he probably was really intended to be a goofy comic relief character. Later, after they change their minds, they try to justify this with flashbacks, with a "he was just pretending," but it's hard to buy that, sometimes, with these early episodes. 
> 
> And so, I want to know, from an in-universe perspective, how Iroh could possibly be _napping_ right after Zuko captures the Avatar. If he's loyal to the White Lotus, how he could possibly be okay with the Avatar being turned over to Ozai?
> 
> I guess this piece is my attempt to answer some of these questions. I feel satisfied with it. I hope you do too.

Iroh sits on the side of his bed, buries his face in his hands. The Avatar is a child. The Avatar is the lone survivor of the genocide of an entire race, now alone in the world, and the one on whom millions will be hanging their hopes, the one on whom it will ultimately be incumbent to end this bloody, bloody war, and he is a _child_ , looks even younger than Zuko had been on that terrible day, the second worst of Iroh's life.

He sighs, sobs. He is grateful that there had been another soldier there on the deck with him and his nephew, someone onto whom he could pawn off Zuko’s order, because when he saw the child, it took every ounce of strength he had in him not to fall on his knees and weep right there in front of Zuko and the crew, and he is sure that if he had had to take a detour by his nephew’s quarters on the way to his own, he would not have been able to contain himself until he was alone. He has faith in the Spirits, in destiny, but when he things like this happen, he wants to curse Agni and ask who He thinks He is to do this to children. Feels dangerously murderous—like killing Agni’s son—because perhaps _then_ He would have to face what He's done to this boy, like Iroh’s grief had prompted _him_ to face his own actions.

But he sets aside the blasphemous thoughts, for now. (He’s already a secret traitor by current Fire Nation definitions, doesn’t need to add _heretic_ to his ever-growing list of epithets.) The question is, must be, what to do now. Ozai cannot be allowed to get his hands on the Avatar, both for the sake of the child and for that of the world. The rest of the Order of the White Lotus will have to be informed, of course. Iroh will have to get the child to one of their safe houses, smuggle him off the ship at some point when they’re close to the Earth Kingdom. The Order will be able to provide protection. Will be able to provide Masters to train him in all the elements other than Air, because he looks too young to have mastered any others. (He looks too young to be the Avatar, but Iroh supposes that’s beside the point, now.)

But…then, there’s Zuko. He too has hung his hope on the Avatar, if for entirely different reasons than the Order and the Earth Kingdom and the Water Tribes and everyone else on the other side of the War. There were days, just _after_ , when Zuko hovered dangerously close to a despair that is all too familiar to Iroh, and the only thing that kept him from surrendering to it was the hope—the seemingly impossible dream—of finding and capturing the Avatar. And, today, Zuko looked happier and more hopeful than Iroh has seen him since before the Agni Kai, and Iroh won’t take that from his beloved nephew. He _can’t._ No matter how much of a moral imperative he might have to do so. No matter how much he suspects that even the Avatar in chains won't actually change how Ozai sees his son.

Iroh decides suddenly, releasing a puff of air, that he will let Zuko bring the Avatar to the Fire Nation and let him present him to Ozai. And then somehow, as Ozai’s guards are transferring the boy somewhere to be held, Iroh will orchestrate an escape. Perhaps take the child to Piandao’s until he and the rest of the Order can put their military minds together and figure out how to get him out of the Fire Nation. This might, after six years, involve finally outing himself as a traitor (by Ozai’s standards, anyway), but, Iroh reasons, Zuko will be home, will be out of imminent danger, and so that will be acceptable if necessary. 

He should go tell the Avatar his plan. Assure him that he’s not alone here, that there is someone on his side, that everything will be alright. But even the thought of doing that at this moment makes him sag. The revelations and the grief and the strategizing have been so draining. Iroh is so weary.

He’ll take a quick nap, he decides, laying himself down on the bed and closing his eyes, before he introduces himself to the boy. He will need his strength for what is to come, he reasons. A man needs his rest. 

And, after all, the child isn’t going anywhere.

**Author's Note:**

> Hope you enjoyed! I love comments!


End file.
